1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a training system for baseball pitchers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been previously known to provide a practice target for baseball pitchers. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,511,430, a baseball pitchers' practice target comprises a panel of flexible material having a baseball catcher illustrated thereon and a rectangular box superimposed on the figure of the catcher delineating a strike zone.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,952 a pitching practice device is provided formed of a sheet having a central portion divided into a plurality of sections each providing an opening through the sheet. A canvas chute is provided behind the sheet to catch the balls passing through the openings. The sheet aperture is divided into zones for indicating whether a pitched ball is high, low, inside, outside, or down the middle.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,729 a baseball pitchers' practice target is formed of a matrix of spring loaded panels which activate switches. The switches turn on various colored lamps when the panels are struck by a baseball.
The aforementioned devices have the disadvantage that they do not impress upon the baseball pitcher employing the target device the importance of avoiding selected zones in and around the strike zone. Furthermore, it is a disadvantage of the prior art systems that they are inflexible in their use, since the target areas are part of a regular geometrical pattern, and they are not adaptable for progressively improving a pitcher's skill in avoiding certain zones within or near the strike zone while concentrating on the ability to hit certain other regions which represent quality pitches. Furthermore, they are not adaptable for progressive training techniques to accommodate and promote improvements in the pitcher's accuracy during use of the system.
It is a further disadvantage of the prior art systems that it is difficult for a coach to communicate to the baseball pitcher who is using the system the precise areas or regions to be pitched to achieve quality pitching.
It is another disadvantage of the prior art systems that they are not adaptable to the various levels of pitching skill, such as professional major league pitchers, high school or college level pitchers, and little league pitchers.